by Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

by Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

How can we discuss player safety without considering the danger of scissors? You know, scissors â?? like the pair found on a playing field, say, late in the first quarter of an ACC game between Virginia Tech and North Carolina.

Officials stopped play with 2:57 left in the first quarter, with Virginia Tech on offense, after wide receiver Dyrell Roberts happened upon a pair of scissors near the line of scrimmage. That's a first. Is there a rule in place for office supplies found on the playing field? Is that a 15-yard penalty for the home team?

Roberts then ran the scissors back to the sideline, making two major errors: one, you never, ever run with scissors, and two, when you walk with scissors, you must hold them by the blade, not the handle.

You learn this early in life. Roberts, consumed with routes, plays, signals and the like, obviously forgot his kindergarten lessons.

So how did the scissors get onto the field? According to university officials on site, a referee said it was medical equipment â?? a pair of scissors a training staff would use to trim loose or excess tape, for example.

Or â?? and this is less likely â?? there was an arts and crafts fair held on UNC's field prior to kickoff. That's not very likely.